


I'll drown in the ocean of you

by Mazen



Series: Magnets pulling from different poles [3]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Cunnilingus, F/M, Hand Jobs, Inner ableish, Love Confessions, Masturbation, Mating Bond, Pining, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:41:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27423631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mazen/pseuds/Mazen
Summary: Hordak wakes up in Entrapta's bed and for a few moments everything seems to be perfect. Until he learns that Entrapta has planned something without his knowledge that will change their relationship.
Relationships: Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Series: Magnets pulling from different poles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916524
Comments: 101
Kudos: 161





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been busy with a few other fics, but don't worry, I've not forgotten these two. There are still a lot of angst and smut coming up.

He was warm. He was safe.

Prime couldn’t reach him here.

He was safe. He was happy. Entirely.

Never had he imagined that such a feeling was possible.

He was safe. He was loved.

Hordak awoke slowly, lingering on the edge of sleep for a while. He’d never done such a thing before, but something pleasant was keeping him from waking completely. When he finally opened his eyes, he realized that he was lying in Entrapta’s bed, her hair wrapped around his entire body, locking him to the beautiful woman lying up against him.

Last night had been more than he’d ever dreamed of. He’d been terrified when Entrapta had gone missing and to find that she’d been stuck in that tiny service elevator for hours made his heart ache. Especially when he saw how she’d barely been able to move her limbs afterwards; the way her hair hung lifelessly was terribly distressing.

It had been a relief that she’d allowed him to assist her. He tried to give her privacy as she bathed, but he couldn’t resist offering her a massage in hope that she wouldn’t suffer the muscle cramps for days. However, it had proven to be sweet torture to touch her bare skin and have her hum and coo appreciatively as he kneaded her sore muscles.

What had happened next had been more erotic than his wildest dreams. He - a defect, useless clone - _he_ had been given the honor of touching her intimately and he even made her achieve the greatest pleasure.

His own pleasure had been secondary, yet he hadn’t been able to hold back from stimulating himself to the sight and feeling of her enticing sex. The urge to bury his shaft deep within her had nearly overpowered him as he felt the inside of her very center; she was so soft and inviting with tight, wet walls suckling his fingers. It had taken very little for him to climax with such tactile stimulation, along with hearing the sounds of her rapture and the aroma of her arousal.

Nonetheless, it was what followed that had utterly stunned him: she had asked him to stay. She had wanted him with her and there wasn’t a single cell in his body that hadn’t longed for this ever since she’d called his imperfections beautiful.

Exactly when during the night he had been wrapped inside her cocoon of hair, he didn’t know, but he’d never felt better. He’d been blessed. She was naked underneath the sheet that only covered her, yet it wasn’t something he was currently focusing on; it was her small head which was a comforting presence on his chest, allowing him to watch the woman he loved as she slept.

He allowed himself to study her soft features. Her nose was small and upturned, her skin a smooth surface of olive glow, her purple eyebrows and appealing mouth were slack and relaxed. He found himself desperately wondering how her full lips would feel against his. He’d seen Etherians kiss in different places, but a kiss on the mouth always seemed to bound two people together. It looked like it was an incredible sensation and he wanted that connection with this magnificent woman.

While he knew she didn’t think much of her appearance, he found her to be the most beautiful creature in the universe. And he _had_ seen most of the universe, either personally or through the hivemind. No one could compare to Entrapta’s beauty, nor her brilliance. She was one of a kind.

It was only natural that he had chosen her as his mate, even though it hadn’t been on purpose. She’d made him realize that there was more to him than being Prime’s clone and for that he was eternally grateful. He would spend his life by her side if she allowed it.

After last night he actually began to think that she welcomed his presence; that they could perhaps become more than friends. Their relationship had certainly become very physical in only a few days and now, with her in his arms, he recognized that there was a chance that they might be romantically involved as well.

He should look into Etherian courtship, although Entrapta never was one for conventional customs in any way. Maybe it would be better to go with his instinct since it had been crucial in the recent developments in their relationship. It might not be necessary to repress his sexual yearning anymore since Entrapta had welcomed it so far.

But he would first profess his love for her. He wouldn’t want her to think that he only wanted her for mating; every aspect of her drew him to her. Would she permit him to kiss her? He’d been so tempted to do it the day before when she’d fallen from the elevator and into his arms, but he had been too nervous to go through with it. Even after last night, he still felt nervous about confessing his love. What if she didn’t feel the same way? Perhaps she was only interested in sex or worse: she was only attracted to him because he’d bonded with her.

The last hypothesis hit him hard. There was a very real possibility that she only felt interested in engaging with him in such a manner because of their bond as mates. After all, she had acted as always until he showed signs of the bond.

That meant she was at least partially coerced to the recent developments in their relationship, but it could also be that she didn’t have a choice at all; that the bond was responsible for her acceptance of his perverted wants. The implication horrified him. He had to discuss this issue with her before he let it get any further.

He fell deeper into a sense of despair. Despite having Entrapta in his arms with her hair wrapped warmly around him at this very moment, he suddenly felt nauseous for letting himself enjoy it. The chances of it being real - of her wanting him in any capacity like he wanted her - seemed slimmer for every second that passed and he felt like a scoundrel for allowing himself to hold her.

He was only moments away from extracting himself from her embrace - he really was - when the room was filled with an obnoxious melody that he immediately recognized as the alert for an incoming call on Entrapta’s datapad.

This instantly made Entrapta rouse from her place on his chest. For a moment she acted like this was any other morning, rubbing at her eyes and clearing her throat, until she realized that he was there. And that she was naked. A pink blush spread on her cheeks and she smiled in a manner so sweet that his hearts began to beat faster.

It only lasted a second before the datapad played again and she rose from the bed, taking the sheet covering her body with her. She seemed to be a little flustered and shy from their sleeping arrangements for which he supposed he couldn’t blame her. It was a sudden development.

Or perhaps it was waking up to see his face. He wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing person and he might even be frightening to look at first thing in the morning. It didn’t escape his notice how she cracked her neck before picking up the datapad. It surely hadn’t been comfortable to lie on his hard, bony chest and certainly not after the ordeal of being stuck in the small elevator for hours. He should’ve let her sleep in her soft bed alone.

He was so consumed by these thoughts that he barely took notice of who Entrapta was talking to before he heard his name mentioned by the caller. This was enough to make him listen attentively. It was allowed if it concerned him, right? Entrapta glanced at him briefly, biting her lips; she seemed in doubt about something.

“I don’t know yet,” she answered the person she was talking to. “I suppose it depends on Hordak.” She looked at him as though she’d asked him a question and in spite of the fact that he really didn’t want to talk to whoever the caller was, he reluctantly came closer to engage in the conversation.

He was fairly surprised to see Perfuma on the screen. Entrapta rarely interacted with the flowery princess. However, she was working on discovering more about his species and Entrapta was certainly interested in that. He just didn’t comprehend why they needed his input when there were plenty of clones who jumped at any chance to be of use.

Perfuma’s expression as he stepped into view could only be described as comical: her eyes widened excessively and her mouth dropped open. She looked from him to Entrapta, then back to him. It took him a few seconds to understand what she was seeing: Entrapta only covered by a sheet with messy hair and him beside her, possibly with messy hair as well. He quickly gathered what conclusion the princess was reaching.

“Ah, hello, your majesty. I’m just here to make sure Entrapta was feeling well. You see, she had a rather upsetting experience yesterday and I wanted to check up on her.” He thought the excuse was good enough; not a lie, but the phrasing should make it seem like he’d just arrived this morning. Nonetheless, he still saw the doubt in the princess’ eyes. A change of subject would be a better tactic. “I do not mean to interrupt your conversation, but I heard my name mentioned.”

He looked down at Entrapta who seemed perplexed by his words, but he could explain it to her at a later time. It would be damaging for her image as a monarch if the rumor spread that she might be more than lab partners with him. Especially when they hadn’t yet discussed the subject among themselves.

His attention turned back to the screen when Perfuma responded. “Yes, uhm, Entrapta and I were just discussing the experiment she proposed yesterday. About the mating bond in your species.”

This was news to him. “Oh?” He looked at Entrapta who had reached for her mask on the night stand and donned it to hide whatever she was feeling. Perfuma noticed it too, although he was unsure if she knew what it meant.

“Yeah, she said that you were struggling with your mating bond and wanted a way to sever it.”

It was as if his hearts stopped. Suddenly, it felt impossible to exhale the air he’d inhaled a second before. If his face hadn’t been pale already, he was sure it would have gone completely white.

Entrapta had told the other princess that they wanted the bond severed. But they hadn’t talked about this. Which meant that she wanted to cut the tie that held them together as mates. Maybe it really was the reason she felt compelled to engage in sexual activities with him; she had never truly wanted it.

He looked down at her, but he saw nothing through the mask she was hiding behind. This was why she’d run from the lab yesterday; why she’d got stuck in the service elevator which she rarely used. She didn’t want to be bonded with him.

He had to let her go.

“Yes,” he managed to say somewhat convincingly, despite the pain in his chest. “It would be for the best.”

Perfuma seemed uncertain, but she didn’t say anything to it. “Well, I’ve found a possible way to do it, though I can’t guarantee it. Uhm,” she looked down at a paper, suddenly flustered, “a temporary love potion consists of forget-me-nots mixed with oysters.” She wrinkled her nose with apparent disgust. “Sourberries have the ability to make a potion do the opposite as it’s supposed, so _in theory_ that should work.”

“Forget-me-nots mixed with oysters and sourberries?” Entrapta established behind her mask. Of course she wanted to make sure that they made the right concoction.

“Yep. It’s not an exact science, Entrapta, but it should work as a sort of hormonal repellant. You might not want to be near each other for a while, but the effect is temporary and then the bond should be gone.” Perfuma looked from Entrapta to Hordak while she fiddled with her papers.

“Right. We have plenty of sourberries up here in the mountains. I’ll call Mermista about the oysters,” Entrapta had gone into her practical mode, a manner he knew well after spending so much time in the lab with her. She was in her element. He wasn’t. “Can you provide the forget-me-nots?”

“Yes, but you can’t contact Mermista,” Perfuma quickly interjected. “She has gone on some father-daughter retreat to mend things with her dad and I think it’s best not to bother her. And… well, there’s Sea Hawk, but-”

“I’m gonna call Sea Hawk then! Thanks, Perfuma!” Entrapta ended the connection before the other princess could say anything else. He saw her lift her head to look at him, but he turned away before she could; he just couldn’t face her right now.

It wasn’t her fault, it was his. He had bonded with her without her consent and now she felt biologically drawn to him against her will. It wasn’t fair to her. The bond needed to be severed. But it caused an agony so heavy that it felt like it was crushing him from the inside.

He hurried towards the door, itching to get out before she noticed his despair. She was too kind and might offer to stay his mate against her own wishes; it was an offer he wasn’t sure he could refuse. “I’ll let you get dressed and handle the arrangements. Let me know if you need my assistance.”

With those words, he opened the door and fled the room before she could say anything. He fought the tears in his eyes as he strode towards his own chamber and only let them fall when he’d locked the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time you comment, a spacebat gets a name!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your comments! They mean everything to me and keep me writing.

Hordak had only shed tears three times in his existence. The first was when he’d landed on a strange planet, his mind silent without the connection to the hivemind. The sensation of water falling from his tears had terrified him immensely, thinking it was a part of his defect until King Scorpio's guards had informed him that it was a sign of vulnerability. He'd sworn never to do it again.

He'd broken the promise to himself and had cried for a second time when he’d learned that Entrapta had been sent to her death on Beast Island. The tears had swiftly been replaced with anger towards Catra, the world and himself, leading him to destroy everything in sight and secretly wishing that he would be destroyed as well.

He had thought that days of crying were behind him. Perhaps he had gotten more sensitive after Prime’s drugs had been cleansed from his system; he knew other clones had felt it. But now, this third time, he felt the tears impossible to stop.

It was supposedly a more healthy way to deal with difficult feelings. At other times he’d merely turned to rage, replacing the painful sadness with a more familiar emotion. Crying was a weakness and weaknesses were perceived as unwelcome flaws in the Intergalactic Horde. But things were different on Etheria and Prime’s teachings had been flawed which is why he allowed himself this moment of vulnerability.

Learning for certain that Entrapta didn’t wish to be bonded with him hurt more than expected. He had suspected it, but last night had changed things, hadn’t it? She’d asked him to stay. Was that not a sign that she enjoyed the newfound intimacy in their relationship? Apparently he’d been mistaken because she hadn’t informed the flower princess that her so-called experiment wasn’t relevant anymore.

He would respect her wishes, naturally, and help her gather the needed ingredients. He could even go to Salineas for the oysters, now that the mermaid princess was away, where he could also get the sea salt needed for the port-cleaning soap he was developing. In the back of his mind he acknowledged that most of his interest in going was to avoid Entrapta for now and any more false intimate moments that might occur; his hearts couldn’t handle it.

In fact, it might be best to leave for Salineas immediately. He could get some distance from Entrapta and when he returned, they would make the concoction and be free from their mating bond. It would certainly make him focus more on the satellite meant to detect nearby planets with life forms which was almost ready to be launched.

It would be good to have other things to focus on and show that he was worth something, in case Entrapta couldn’t continue having him as lab partner after the bond was severed. Princess Perfuma had said that things would go back to normal eventually, but wouldn’t he just bond with Entrapta again? He was in love with her and even if the potion worked, he would still love her.

He wondered where he would live if not in Dryl. Truth was that he’d worked with a fair share of Etherians since Prime’s defeat because he was trying to help restore Etheria, but he couldn’t imagine living near any of them. The only one, besides Entrapta, who wanted him was Imp and there was no doubt that Entrapta would adopt him if given the chance. She was better at providing him with the necessary affection, so she was truly a better owner or parent or whatever Imp’s caregiver could be called.

Hordak figured that he would find a quiet cavern to live in and stop taking his medication. It would be a year, two at most, before the defect would kill him and then Etheria could finally be free of Lord Hordak  
.  
He was lucky to have found love; he was grateful for it. Even if Entrapta didn’t share his feelings, she had cared for him when it mattered most and it was more than he’d ever deserved. He would treasure the time they had spent together, especially the intimate moments in spite of the fact that Entrapta had been coerced into them by their bond. They still meant something to him and maybe one day she wouldn’t feel so disgusted by them.

It took him a while before he found strength to stop crying. Then, a strange sense of determination came upon him. He would go to Salineas for the oysters, make the potion to sever their bond and let Entrapta go.

He changed into a new tabard, having slept in this one, and washed up. It was quickly done since he didn't have to remove his exoskeleton for the tasks. However, he had to do something about his current appearance. The makeup around his eyes had only been slightly smudged during the night, but crying and rubbing his eyes had caused him to smear it all over his face, making him look more terrible than usual. He wore less makeup now that he didn’t need to intimidate anyone, but he found that his red eyes and mouth - a sign of his defect which he could not change after Prime was defeated - looked better with defining lines. Entrapta agreed.

An item caught his eyes as he opened the makeup drawer under the bathroom sink, a piece of clothing he’d completely forgotten about: the panties he’d taken from Entrapta’s room when she’d left him after their first sexual encounter. He’d felt guilty about stealing them, but hadn’t been able to part with them which was why he’d hidden them in the drawer.

The small scrap of pink fabric called to him now, the scent of her arousal still emanating from them. With a growl at his own weakness, he pulled them from the drawer and lifted them to his nose, inhaling the aroma deeply. It was such a potent scent, musky yet sweet, and it made him instantly harden.

His first instinct was to find Entrapta and have her in any way possible. She was like a drug, one that made his inner animal howl and fight against the restraints that kept it locked away inside him, to keep the illusion that he was a civilized person who wouldn’t give into his basic desires.

He cursed himself for his sudden sexual urges that seemed to have emerged when he'd unknowingly chosen Entrapta as his mate. It was disappointing how little he could control the impulse to claim whatever he could from her.

However, the thought that he might not feel this way again when their bond was cut made his chest constrict painfully. His desire for her was interlocked with the love that consumed him. If one was gone, then perhaps the other would be too. He didn’t want to lose his love for her which had been the catalyst for his defiance of Prime.

Once more, he buried his nose in the pink panties, closing his eyes to sharpen his sense of smell and take in any small fragrance he could detect. His lust only grew and he let it, desperate to keep any emotion he could feel for her. He remembered how beautiful and enticing she’d looked as she gracelessly shed those panties in front of him and had climbed onto the bed, exposing herself to him. Never had he wanted so badly to worship someone. Not even the one he’d thought to be a god had inspired such a need for reverence in him.

As he took another deep breath of the cloth, his mind found the image of her parted legs and the slick pink flesh between them as she began to touch herself while her eyes bore into him. He moaned into the fabric in his hand as everything in his abdomen tightened and pleasure began to spread through his body. It was only then he discovered that his free hand had pushed aside his undergarments and was slowly stroking his length.

He closed his eyes again and plunged deeper into his mind, recalling last night where he’d felt the softness and wetness of her core as he buried his fingers inside her. His hand momentarily let go of his shaft to slather his palm with lotion next to the sink before gripping the hard length once more.

The slickness spreading on his shaft as he stroked himself was similar enough to allow him to fantasize that he was sliding into her warmth, her inner walls massaging him as they moved together. His movements increased as he recalled how he’d brought her to the brink of pleasure and the sounds she’d made - the way her voice had called his name - when she climaxed.

He came with a groan as his hand poorly imitated her inner walls clenching around his length and ignored the feeling of his ejaculate as it coated his hand and his thighs. He stubbornly granted himself a few moments of reveling in his fantasy where he would cuddle against Entrapta as they both drifted off to sleep, murmuring confessions of love.

The painful return to reality was swift and humiliating. When he’d stimulated himself sexually with Entrapta present, it had been wonderful and cathartic. Now he felt repulsive for not only giving in to his baser urges, but also tarnishing the moments he’d shared with her; he’d even taken pleasure in imagining new ones. She deserved better than that.

He cleaned up the mess he’d made, feelings of shame and disgust consuming him because of his own revolting behavior. It didn’t take him long to apply his makeup and change into a new tabard again; he needed to get out of this room.

Despite his reluctance to see Entrapta and have to look her in the eyes, he went to thei- her lab to inform her that he was planning to go to Salineas for the oysters. The sooner they severed the bond, the better. She would be free of him and wouldn’t be disrespected by his lustful fantasies.

He heard her finish up a call as he entered the lab, but it took him a few seconds to find her as she hung upside down from a beam down by the chemistry area. Something was boiling over a Bunsen burner and he felt a sense of alarm as he recalled some of her more explosive chemical experiments, but to his relief (and despair) he caught the whiff of boiled sourberries; very little could go wrong there.

Entrapta noticed him immediately and began to swing from beam to beam with her hair until she reached him and landed right in front of him. “Hi Hordak!” She said as her usual cheerful self, although her eyes held an emotion other than joy which he couldn’t quite recognize. “Are you alright?” A hand of hair touched his shoulder and he suppressed a shiver.

“Yes, thank you,” he quickly replied and stepped past her, putting him within reach of the plate of fruit provided by the kitchen. He often wondered if they would eat anything at all if the staff didn’t bring the food into the lab; he'd made the kitchens in the Fright Zone do exactly that, but it was apparently a standard practice in the castle. “You too, I hope?”

He took the last pear - his favorite fruit besides various types of berries - and turned back to her for her answer. She was fidgeting with several tools, turning this way and that to adjust a few things on the work tables near her, a common trait of hers. He barely noticed it anymore.

“Yes! But I just talked to Sea Hawk about the oysters and apparently they don’t fish for oysters and he can’t get any because he isn’t allowed near the boats. Something about fire, I don’t know, but anyway, we can’t get the oysters.” She shrugged dejectedly, then turned to face him properly right as he bit into the pear. Her eyes widened and she instantly turned away.

Dammit, he cursed inwardly, he'd forgotten how repulsive it must seem to others when he ate. Especially messy fruits with lots of juices. He snatched a napkin and hurried to wipe any trace away. Food would have to wait until he’d finished talking to her.

“It’s no matter,” he told her, “I was planning to go to Salineas myself to acquire the oysters.” She turned around and looked at him with surprise. “I need the best sea salt for the port cleaning soap anyway.”

“Oh,” she murmured uncharacteristically quiet. Then her face lit up and, despite his misery at the prospect of cutting their bond and how happy it obviously made her, he felt glad that he could cause her joy.

“Do you know what that means?” She bounced up to him and lifted herself to his eye level, only a few inches from him. Her proximity made his breath hitch and he struggled to swallow as he shook his head, so utterly lost in her stunning eyes that her next words barely meant sense.

“We’re going on a road trip!” She cackled manically. “Or should I say _boat_ trip?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hesitate to comment and tell me how to make Hordak stop angsting. He's a cornucopia of angst!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: more angst!

He wasn’t surprised to hear that Sea Hawk had invited Entrapta to come to Salineas and Hordak along with her. Partly because that self-proclaimed pirate had a need to be seen and heard by everyone and partly because the mermaid princess was away; she was understandably not very happy to have Hordak in her kingdom, even when he was restoring Salineas to its former glory.

Nevertheless, he hadn’t expected that Entrapta would want to come with him. She could’ve told him that she wanted to go alone or given him another assignment in the lab. He was worried that this was another effect of being his mate, that she deep down didn’t want to be near him so much, but felt coerced because of their bond.

Imp and Emily were coming as well. Imp wasn’t exactly popular with the staff because of his tendency to steal food and threaten them with old recordings of Hordak’s less than kind words, so it was best to bring him. And if Imp was coming, it was only fair that Emily came too according to Entrapta. Hordak knew how much she cared for the robot and while he said nothing, he did acknowledge to himself that leaving Emily alone in the Crypto Castle didn’t sit right with him.

They left for Salineas that very day as none of them had much to pack. Hordak brought his makeup, port soap and a change of clothes while Entrapta appeared to only pack equipment, no doubt planning to study several subjects at the sea, he mused with fondness. He kindly asked Busara - the girl Entrapta consistently called Busgirl - if she would pack a spare set of clothes for the princess as well.

It was nearly nightfall when they arrived and Hordak felt exhaustion creep up on him. The ship they’re traveled in was a tiny version of the First Ones’ ship, Darla. Entrapta had been so captivated by that ship, but the Alliance had decided that she had to remain on Etheria until everything was rebuilt. 

So he had helped her create a miniature Darla for fast travel on the planet and smaller trips outside the atmosphere. They could go as far as The Velvet Glove still caught in Etheria’s gravitational pull and hung in the sky as a third, ominous moon. 

They’d gone there to rescue the unfortunate clones left inside the ship-turned-tree and later for scientific exploration, despite Hordak’s reluctance to return to the vessel where so many horrible things had taken place. However, it had been freeing to walk the halls of The Velvet Glove which now were covered in branches, leaves and flowers, knowing that Prime truly was dead; he would never have allowed this to come to be if he was alive somewhere.

As efficient as Tiny Darla was, it was still a small ship with very little room to sit comfortably. He’d taken the seat next to Entrapta who was piloting and while she kept talking about her plans to explore the sea, his mind kept drifting to fantasies about a romantic relationship with her: falling asleep in her arms, taking her on evening outings to see the stars, kissing her for the first time… 

It was pitiful. She’d made her lack of interest clear enough and he was reminded of this every time she mentioned fishing for the oysters which was their original goal for the trip. The constant back and forth between dreaming about intimacy and the harsh reality - all in close proximity with the woman of his dreams - was overtaxing and he was, besides Imp, the first to leave the ship.

This is how he ended up in Sea Hawk’s embrace. Had Entrapta left the ship before him, he would’ve had time to avoid it, but it was too late. “Ah, Hordak, evil warlord turned peaceful scientist! How are you?” He managed to escape the death grip of the so-called pirate’s arms, regaining his personal space and then some, and he even remained civil enough to respond to the question.

“Continuing to do my best for Etheria,” he answered, not wanting to reveal that he wasn’t well at all with everything going on with his lab partner, “and you, prince consort?”

To his relief, Sea Hawk didn’t have time to reply because at that very moment, Entrapta stepped out of Tiny Darla with her hair carrying all the heavy equipment she’d brought. She ran into Sea Hawk’s open arms, both of them squealing and talking at the same time. It did not make him jealous, he assured himself, as he began to relieve her hair of the boxes and cases. Sea Hawk had married the sarcastic mermaid princess; surely, he had no interest in Entrapta.

He couldn’t deny that it pleased him when Entrapta came to stand next to him. “I’ve secured a fine vessel for your expedition,” the prince consort informed them both. Imp came to sit on his shoulder, that little traitor, and Sea Hawk was quick to find a sugar cube in his pocket to give. Imp chirped happily. 

“Sadly, I will not be joining you as I’ve made a promise to my princess that I will not board a ship without her. But it is easy to steer and I’ve provided a map to the best place to fish for oysters. May I ask what these oysters are for?” His eyebrows lifted and fell several times in a manner that Hordak knew to be suggestive.

“It is none of your business,” he growled at the boy who almost stepped back. Unfortunately, Entrapta answered at the same time.

“It’s to sever the bond created between Hordak and I which he accidentally created and made me his mate.”

Sea Hawk looked at them, obviously confused. “What’s wrong with being mates? I consider you my mates as well!” He stepped between them and clapped them each on their backs. Hordak wanted to hide his face in his palm. 

It took Entrapta a few seconds to understand Sea Hawk’s misinterpretation of the word, but then she quickly turned to him to inform him. “Oh, I don’t mean ‘mate’ as a synonym for friend. To have a ‘mate’ is to have a partner with whom you have sexual intercourse with to breed. However, there may be a romantic aspect to it as well. But this was a bond created by accident which is why we’re going to cut it.”

Sea Hawk glanced at Hordak who must’ve looked as flustered as he felt, but he nodded to confirm Entrapta’s words. To no surprise, it didn’t seem to satisfy the boy. “You mean to tell me that you don’t wish to datehe this beautiful woman?” he asked Hordak directly, dramatically gesturing to Entrapta who blushed immensely. 

The question stunned him. What was he going to answer? He wanted nothing more, he would worship the ground she walked on and kiss her feet if it was acceptable! He opened his mouth, then closed it again when he felt the words he tried to utter come out with a stammer.

Once again, Entrapta came to the rescue, although she looked just as uncomfortable. “Whatever Hordak or I want, it shouldn’t be dictated by a biological bond beyond our control. Now, show us the boat and tell me where to get some tiny food because I’m starving!”

The pirate seemed to drop the subject. He lit up as he showed them the ship they could borrow and while he discussed tonight’s dinner selection with Entrapta and an impatient Imp, Hordak carried their possessions onto the ship. 

Dinner ended up taking place at a strange bar where they offered a selection of seafood, a treat for Entrapta who would eat anything tiny. There were oysters, mussels, shrimp and calamari, all of which she seemed to enjoy. Hordak kept to a few different side dishes with kelp. Entrapta had insisted on a place that had something for him to eat as he wasn’t a carnivore by nature. That didn’t stop Imp though who eagerly ate everything on the table.

Sea Hawk entertained Entrapta with his outrageous tales which she debunked with her scientific knowledge, not that it stopped the boy from continuing these lies. He kept filling her glass with fizzy wine and complimented her an awful lot, from her intelligence - as if he understood how brilliant she truly was - to her beauty. 

If Hordak didn’t know better, he would have thought Sea Hawk was attempting to court Entrapta, but he’d heard others talk about the boy’s fondness for theatrics and constant praise of himself and those around him.

Yet, he felt a burning in his chest every time the pirate’s eyes glinted when Entrapta giggled and the way her face took on a golden glow while her eyes sparkled. He realized she must’ve had quite a few glasses of fizzy wine by now.

“That’s enough!” The table and its contents rattled as his fist hit it when Sea Hawk leaned into Entrapta’s ear and whispered that he wondered what else her hair could be used for. Both of them turned to look at him in shock as he rose from his seat, breathing heavily to contain the fire in his chest. 

He wanted to explain himself, but he knew that he was too enraged at the moment, so instead he stood menacing in front of them, all silent. The whole bar was silent, he realized, frightened by the evil Lord Hordak who had interrupted their pleasant evening.

[No reason to get in a tizzy], Imp said in Entrapta’s voice, causing the two bumbling fools at the table to burst into laughter. 

More fire erupted in his chest, hot lava flooding his veins. He wanted to throw the table into the racks of fizzy wines at the bar, wanted to hit Sea Hawk for his insolence, desperately longed to throw Entrapta over his shoulder and carry her away from all this.

He did the only thing he could do to avoid destroying everything around him: he stormed out the door. 

The fresh sea air and the stars in the sky greeted him outside and it was a relief. The fire in him still burned, but it didn’t feel as havocking as it had inside. 

He knew he had to get out of there. The loud sounds from the bar continued to reach him even now and it wasn’t doing anything to calm his temper further, so he set course for the ship a mile from the bar. With his long legs and fast stride it only took him a few minutes before he found the vessel and boarded it. It was only then he discovered that he’d been followed.

Emily was trying to wobble up the wooden ramp to the deck, making more noise than usual as she struggled. He must’ve been absorbed in his own thoughts since he hadn’t noticed her familiar clattering behind him. 

Whether it was annoyance or sympathy that made him carry her the rest of the way up, he didn’t know, but it warmed him when she beeped enthusiastically. “It appears I wasn’t the only one who didn’t like the bar,” he commented and Emily responded with noises that sounded like she agreed, carefully rubbing herself on his left leg.

He didn’t have the same close relationship with the bot as Entrapta did, but he did care for her, even if he didn’t understand what she said. There was a pattern in her communication, although he hadn’t quite figured it out yet. After all, he wasn’t as intelligent as Entrapta.

The thought of the princess no longer ignited maddening flames in him. Quite the opposite: his insides felt like a barren wasteland, burned to ashes by a vicious fire. Nevertheless it hurt so deeply. 

She really didn’t care for him. Her attention had been on the boy all night and she seemed like she enjoyed his company more than Hordak’s. Of course, she often giggled around him, but it was rare that he caused her to do it. It was mostly her with her brilliance and her odd sense of humor that he never quite understood, but loved anyway.

He loved all of her; how could anyone not? It was clear that Sea Hawk was smitten with her, even if it wasn’t a romantic interest. But he could make her laugh, unlike Hordak. Did she not deserve to find someone who could make her laugh? 

It wasn’t until he’d already set up the charger for Emily that he realized he’d done so in the room where he’d placed his own belongings. Usually, she charged in Entrapta’s room. But it was clear to him that the bot was running low on battery and she eagerly let him connect her to the charger, settling down next to the bunk.

He removed his tabard which smelled of smoke and seafood and lay down on the bunk next to Emily. She made a buzzing noise at him and he nodded sympathetically as though he understood. It seemed to satisfy her.

The thoughts that went through his head weren’t pleasant. All of them were about Entrapta and the signs that she did not care for him as he cared for her. There were so many after all and in spite of the last few evenings where he’d shared those glorious intimate moments with her, it was clear to him now that it was their bond that caused her to open to him in such a way.

The emptiness inside him deepened later when he heard Entrapta and Imp board the ship, the latter replaying jokes made by Sea Hawk which in turn made Entrapta laugh. How beautiful her laugh was. If only it was for him.

She stumbled several times, obviously affected by the fizzy wine, and he longed to go out there to help her into bed, but he was afraid that he would overstep her boundaries again, especially as she was intoxicated. 

He heard her stop in front of his door, probably unsure of which room belonged to her. For a few seconds he wished that she was contemplating knocking on his door. He would allow her to enter and perhaps she would collapse on his bunk, giving him one more night with her by his side. He wouldn't take advantage of her, only enjoy being so close to her. 

His hope was crushed when Imp chirped a recording of some soldier saying [This way] and she moved on.

The sounds from her and Imp grew fewer and soon the ship was quiet. Only the slight waves and cries of seagulls could be heard outside. But it wasn’t what kept him awake. There was a lump in his throat that wouldn’t let him breathe properly and his hearts felt strained. 

He sat up in the bunk and began to work on his datapad to distract himself. At some point Emily discreetly moved into his bunk and he let her settle underneath his arm, feeling a small comfort in the faint buzzing within her which reminded him that he wasn’t alone.

Not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sea Hawk is not actually flirting with Entrapta. He’s happily married. But they’re having fun and Hordak who’s jealous as hell - only partly because of their bond - perceives it as such.  
> And Entrapta usually doesn't drink. It's actually more like cider, but it affects her anyway because she has a low tolerance. She wasn't really drunk though, just enjoying the food and the company.
> 
> Your comments mean so much to me! Thank you for being the best readers!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has taken a lot of time and I've had to split the chapter in two because it was so massive. Good news is that I've already written the last part and just need to edit it.
> 
> I want to tell you that I love every comment you leave. They mean SO much to me and I'm sorry that I haven't answered to every one - I prioritize writing.
> 
> I hope you will enjoy what's coming next!

Sleep eluded him the entire night. When the daytime moon rose, he’d calibrated the course for the satellite which would be ready to launch within a week’s time. He was both excited and worried about the prospect of finding life forms on planets nearby. The idea that they weren’t alone in the universe like they’d been in Despondos was comforting, but he feared that citizens on other planets would want revenge on his brethren for conquering every planet on Prime’s command.

He also knew that Entrapta would travel into space as soon as possible. She yearned to study all of it. It had been his hope to go with her - he could show her so much - but he felt certain that she would want to distance herself from him when their bond was severed. In which case he would stay. The truth was that he didn’t want to explore space without her. He had nowhere to go.

His body was sore from sitting upright in the hard bunk for nearly six hours. His arm, especially, was stiff after having cradled Emily all night. She was still in sleep mode when he rose and stretched his body, trying to be rid of the new aches that plagued his defective body.

Luckily, the exoskeleton Entrapta had made for him was possible to wear at all times, except during showers. It put less restraint on his body and he felt better than he had since he’d been an unidentifiable clone on The Velvet Glove where he’d been drugged with pain-reducing components.

He dressed in a fresh tabard without the tawdry smell of last night’s bar, reapplied his makeup and unplugged Emily who had fully charged, but hadn’t decided to wake. Then he stepped outside his cabin, not noticing the little scientist who practically sprinted down the tiny hall.

It was a shock to his system when he collided with Entrapta, not because she nearly caused him to tumble backwards as she ran into him, taking her with him since he’d instinctively caught her in his arms. It was the feeling of holding her flush against his body afterwards when he’d regained his balance.

She was so small in his embrace, yet seemed to fit so perfectly. It felt so right. Her hands had found purchase on either side of his flanks, exactly where his skin was on display, and he held back a gasp as the fingertips of her gloves dug a little into his flesh. His hearts beat rapidly and it had to be impossible for her to not hear it with the way her head was buried in his chest.

After a few moments, she lifted her head to look up at him. He was utterly spellbound by her dark magenta eyes that gazed into his very soul. His breath caught when he saw her tongue flick out to moisten her lower lip, an urge rising in him to claim those lips for himself.

His senses were saturated with her presence: her titillating scent, the olive glow of her skin, the soft curves of her body in his arms. He was out of breath, struggling to keep level-headed.

Whether he lowered his head or she used her hair to rise, he wasn’t sure, but suddenly he was only inches away from her mouth, within reach of paradise. All he had to do was close that final distance and succumb to his desire.

It wasn’t meant to be. Just as he found the courage to take the plunge, the loud voice of Sea Hawk boomed through the tiny hall: [fish for oysters, fish for oysters, fish for oysters], Imp repeated in the most obnoxious way. [Delicious!] Adora chimed in from an older recording. Never had Hordak felt so frustrated by the little clone.

Entrapta somehow found her way out of his arms, much to his dismay, when a scrabbling bot exited his own room, beeping enthusiastically at them. She lowered herself to look at Emily as she listened to the beeps. “Aw, Hordak let you sleep in his bed? Lucky you!” If he hadn’t felt flushed already, he certainly would have when Entrapta looked up at him with glee in her eyes.

“Yes, well, I know that you spoil her that way sometimes,” he said, cursing himself for the less than kind words when he saw Entrapta frown. Embarrassed and ashamed, he hurried from the scene to go up on the deck.

The fresh air was refreshing and helped him as he tried to shake the last few minutes from his mind and body. His hearts were still pounding and his breathing was heavy, more constraining to him than anything else. The cool breeze from the sea calmed his heated skin.

The others followed him onto the deck, Imp flying over to sit on his shoulder while Entrapta and Emily began to unpack boxes of equipment. It was a testament to her interest in engaging in social interaction with Sea Hawk that she hadn’t done so already last night.

She was now talking to Emily, who was likely recording, about her expectations for the exploration of the ocean floor she was conducting while there. Despite the wind, Hordak heard every word and listened intently. She theorized that electromagnetic pulses from the runestone were the cause of Mermista’s so-called magic, something she felt sure could be explained through science. Her brilliant mind was truly out of this world.

“When can we set sails?” she yelled at Hordak, not realizing that he easily could hear her already. Instead of yelling back, he opted to come closer to her.

“Immediately if you want to,” he answered, wondering if she didn’t want to wait for Sea Hawk to see them off first. “It seems simple enough,” he gestured casually to the sails. His old Horde ships had been very different, but Hordak had always been an avid reader and a quick study. It would be no issue to sail this vessel.

“Then let’s go!” She sprung up from the calibrating electromagnetic sensor and spun around the deck with excitement. He began to think that she’d never actually gone sailing before. If so, he certainly couldn’t remember her mentioning it. Her glee was contagious though and he quickly prepared the ship.

It was a little past 8 in the morning when they untied the ship and pulled up the anchor. Imp chirped nervously from his place at the wheel as Hordak let the sails loose and the wind swiftly pulled them from the docks. When they caught speed and swayed back and forth on the waves, Imp shrieked and screamed [retreat, dammit!], flying into Hordak’s arms.

Meanwhile, Entrapta was trying to steady Emily. The bot had already been wobbling on the ship before they took off, but now that the waves rocked them, she was constantly falling like a deer on ice. Hordak looked helplessly at Entrapta as their two wards flailed at the new experience.

She chose to take action instead of standing around like he did. After securing Emily to the mast with her hair, she pressed something into her datapad and a few seconds later he heard the sound of Sea Hawk. “Entrapta! What a wonderful…” he yawned loudly, “surprise to receive a call from you this morning. Have you just awoken?”

“No, we’ve been up for hours. Anyway, can you babysit Imp and Emily? We’re not even out of the harbour, but it’s clear they’re not fit for sailing.”

“Not seamen material, eh? Hahah!” The tasteless, obscene joke about the unusual way Emily and Imp came to be went over Entrapta’s head. Sometimes she should feel glad that she was above understanding such jokes. “Joke aside, if you’re still at the entrance channel,” the imbecile paused to snicker and Hordak rolled his eyes, “I can pick the kiddies up at the east jetty in - ah… fifteen minutes.” He yawned again. It seemed rude, even for a self-proclaimed pirate.

“Great! See you soon!” Entrapta waved before hanging up and turning to Hordak to explain what had transpired. He lifted a hand up to stop her.

“Heard everything. These floppy ears aren’t just for show.” He said loud enough for her to hear with a small smirk. She smiled endearingly at him and he felt himself blush as his chest warmed. There was nothing like having her smile at him.

He steered the ship towards the eastern jetty, directing the sails to use the wind as efficiently as possible. Entrapta watched him with something akin to intrigue while she tried to comfort the frantic Imp and keep Emily in place. Her eyes on him constantly was unnerving, but he liked it at the same time. Her expression was almost adoring, although she probably just found his maneuvering interesting.

They quickly reached the jetty where Sea Hawk stood ready to catch the rope and fasten the ship to the small dock after Hordak had dropped the anchor.

Imp immediately flew to Sea Hawk on solid ground, chirping relieved before begging for [snacks]. “Ah-ha! Lucky for you that I keep sugar cubes in my pockets for Shift Wind,” he laughed.

“Boy, are we glad you’re here! These two were panicked!” Entrapta shouted down to him as she unwrapped her hair from Emily to let Hordak carry her down to the dock. She beeped loudly. “You’re right, Emily,” Entrapta exclaimed, a little too close to Hordak’s sensitive ears, “we need to get your charger. I’ll find it!”

The bot practically frolicked when Hordak put her down and Imp jumped onto her, repeating some recording of Emily’s beeping. To his dismay, Hordak felt a hand pat him on the back and found Sea Hawk by his side. “Sorry about last night, mat- friend! I didn’t mean to hog your lady.”

“Entrapta is not my ‘lady’,” Hordak muttered, uncomfortable with both the physical contact and the conversation. “What she does is not my business.”

The boy patted him a few more times on the back, sighing dramatically. “You know, my own beautiful woman hasn’t been home for nearly a week. Her father doesn’t approve of me...” For the first time the pirate’s expression changed to a slight frown before he lit up again. “It was refreshing to have another enchanting princess to dine with. But you do not need to worry. My heart belongs to Mermista, just as Entrapta’s belongs to you.”

The words made Hordak speechless for several seconds as he mulled them over in his head. When he finally opened his mouth to dispute the boy’s claim, Entrapta came flying down the ramp with Emily’s charger. Hordak decided it was better to let Sea Hawk’s outrageous allegation disprove itself soon enough when Entrapta withdrew from him after the mating bond was severed.

Entrapta handed the charger to Sea Hawk who seemed surprised by the weight and struggled to keep his balance. It pleased Hordak to see more than it should and he withheld the smirk that wanted to form on his lips.

“Okay, I’ll call you when we’re on our way back. I don’t expect it to be more than -” she pulled out her datapad and typed a few numbers in, “- 23,5 hours if we actually sleep all six hours set aside for it.” She cackled at the idea, making Hordak smile. It was indeed unlikely that she would sleep that long on an expedition.

[Have fun!] Imp exclaimed while Sea Hawk tried to wave with the charger in his arms as they boarded the ship. “Remember, my friends, if you fish for something, there’s a good chance you’ll catch it.” He winked at Hordak who raised an eyebrow in confusion, but let the subject lie. He didn’t want to suffer more of that buffoon's company.

Entrapta took the wheel while Hordak pulled up the anchor and gathered the rope which Imp had kindly bit through since Sea Hawk couldn’t untie it with Emily’s charger in his embrace. He nodded at the three on the tiny dock. In spite of his distaste for the little pirate boy, he knew that Imp and Emily would be fine. When they had been rebuilding Salineas, Imp had been on a few ‘sleep-overs’ with great success. He wasn’t worried.

However, now he was left alone with Entrapta on this vessel and he feared what consequences it would have. The tension between them was apparent, especially after the episode in the hall below deck, but he didn’t know what any of it meant.

She looked incredible as she stood by the wheel, wind in her hair and a brilliant moon-kissed skin. When she noticed his eyes on her, she waved with a tendril of lavender hair, a large smile forming at her mouth along with an added sparkle in her eyes.

He smothered down the urge to stride up to her and kiss her feet with veneration or just ravish her and forced himself to remember that they were there for the ingredients to end their bond. Possibly even their partnership.

* * *

It took them less than an hour to reach the swallow waters where Sea Hawk had recommended to fish for oysters, according to the navigation provided to them. Though Hordak was less than confident that they could trust the failed pirate on finding an oyster bed, Entrapta dismissed his worries.

He’d barely dropped the anchor before she’d unrolled long metal wires to measure the electromagnetism on the seafloor. Then she disappeared for a few moments. When she returned, Hordak nearly dropped the dredges in his hands. Entrapta had changed into a bathing suit, one naturally fitted to her personal preferences. It consisted of a pair magenta overalls that ended midthigh and a tight white tube top. Made of neoprene, it hugged every covered curve on her body while the rest was on display. Only her gloves and mask were unchanged.

His eyes inadvertently roamed over every new exposed inch of her skin, remembering clearly how soft she was. He longed to see more of her in daylight. When she turned around and bent down to grab the end of the unrolled wire, the sight of her well rounded backside made him groan. He turned around quickly - the only way to avert his traitorous eyes - and hoped that Entrapta hadn’t heard him.

He was so busy cursing his weak mind that he didn’t hear her come bouncing down to him with something in her hair. It caused him to practically jump when she appeared in front of him. “I have a wetsuit for you too!” She held out another suit in her hair. “I couldn’t make it with your exoskeleton, but I added protection for your ports and the water will aid your atrophic muscles. Here, try it on!” She pushed the suit into his hands.

“I was not planning to go into the ocean. There’s no need for it with the dredges I’ve brought.” He gestured to the buckets with what looked like rakes on them. Dredging was the professional way to fish for oysters after all. “And I’ve already purchased the sea salt needed for the port cleaning soap.”

Entrapta dismissed the dredges by pushing them away with her hair. “The best way to fish for _good_ oysters is by hand. And we only need a few anyway! Besides, I could really use your help with setting up the wires because there’s so much of it and I really want to utilize every moment we have out here!”

Ah, so he’d been set up. A few oysters would’ve been possible to find in the harbor. Her reason for coming all the way out here was for her own experiment. Not that he could blame her. Science came first and she hadn’t hidden her motives at any point. She’d been very frank about her main focus being the electromagnetic pulses.

With a scowl she didn’t notice, he looked over the wetsuit in his hands and went to his cabin to try it on.

She had indeed done her best to make him feel comfortable in the suit. Each port was, as promised, protected and airtight, but the design was what really made him aware of how well she knew him. The suit had long sleeves that hid the missing muscle on his forearms and covered his skeletal torso, except for a cutout on each side that left his flanks bare and allowed his skin to breathe. The piece ended midthigh like hers, but had a slit up his outer thighs which exposed the strong muscles there. It was the part of his body he liked the most and he appreciated that Entrapta had added this feature to the suit.

Despite its snugness and the exposure of his feet that looked more animal than humanoid, he felt comfortable enough to let her see him. He knew she wanted to know if she’d succeeded and it was the least he could give her. Nonetheless, he was acutely aware of how exposed his genitals were which meant he had to control his urges now more than ever. With a deep breath he went back up to the deck.

At first he couldn’t find her, but the mystery was quickly solved when he saw a metal wire string disappear into the ocean. Soon, a vision of wet, purple hair surfaced and attached to it the smiling woman to which his hearts belonged.

“Oh wow, the water is so gre- oooooooh, you’re wearing the suit!” Her hair pulled her up on deck, forcing Hordak to hastily look away from her body that dripped with water. “How does it fit? Do you like the design? Where’s my recorder, I’m so used to having Imp or Emily around!” She flickered around him in a manner that he was quite used to and bothered him much less than her focus on his body.

“I’m very impressed with the wetsuit, Entrapta. Thank you for making this for me.” He had been practicing the Etherian ways to give praise and thought he was progressing well. “I have not seen your recorder, but if you wish, I will wear the piece at another time and answer all your questions.”

“Yes, it’s probably best that you test its functionality in the water anyway!” Her hair grabbed his arms and pulled him towards the railing, making him suddenly hesitate. He’d never gone swimming before, never been into any real body of water besides the reconditioning pool on The Velvet Glove. The association surprisingly didn’t bother him, but the fear of trying something so new worried him.

“Entrapta, please hold,” he asked in mild panic, all air seeming to leave his body. He’d no need for the same amount of oxygen that Etherians had, but some was required and at the moment he felt completely empty. “I have never done this. Allow me a moment.”

She looked at him with a concerned expression, then nodded and let him go. “Take your time, lab partner,” she said with a gentle smile and lowered herself into the water. He carefully came closer to the railing and to his surprise, he saw her waiting in the water for him. Not rushing him, but being there to assist and comfort him if needed. Her kind eyes gave him courage.

He threw a rope tied to the mast over the railing and slowly climbed over the edge and down the side of the ship. “H-how do I swim?”

Entrapta came a little closer, but kept her movements calm. “You propel through the water by using your limbs to keep you afloat. You can also use your limbs to stay still at the surface without sinking like I'm doing right now.”

He looked down to see how she moved, but all she did was kick her legs below the surface. Surely, that wasn’t enough to keep her afloat. And he suffered from muscular atrophy, making it much harder to use his limbs without his exoskeleton. “I fail to see how I can move my limbs fast enough to keep me from sinking to the bottom.” He wouldn’t drown for several hours, but it would be very embarrassing.

Entrapta pondered for a moment. “Well, without a proper illustration at hand to explain the dynamics, it’s easier to explain once you’re in the water. Will you allow me to keep you floating until you get the hang of it?”

He did trust her to do that. With a nod, he let himself be tangled in her soft, wet hair and released the rope, slowly immersing himself into the ocean. It was very cool on his skin and he gasped slightly at the way the water engulfed his entire body, but Entrapta kept him from sinking, as she’d promised. After only a few seconds he began to enjoy the sensation.

He experimentally moved his limbs and discovered that they didn’t feel as heavy down here like they did on land. Even without his exoskeleton, he felt free to move easily through the water without straining. When he looked at Entrapta, she had the biggest, most excited grin on her face and he felt himself smile as well. What an experience!

How many times had someone, especially Entrapta, suggested water therapy and he’d turned them down every time? He should’ve studied the data more thoroughly because this was indeed a relief to his aching muscles.

As he began to move, he felt Entrapta’s hair slowly slacken, but it was not distressing to him because he felt his limbs carrying his weight. He distinctly heard Entrapta squeal when he swam out of her hair’s hold on him, quickly gaining speed as he swam from one end of the ship’s haul to the other.

It was impossible to hold back a smile when he returned to Entrapta whose hair was clapping enthusiastically. “You’re a natural! Well, at least you seem to possess inborn qualities to swim which raises a lot of new theories about your species. We have to report this to Perfuma!”

He expected her to leave him to find her datapad and call up the flower princess, but she did no such thing. Usually, those words would mean that she wanted to do so immediately, but instead she stayed with him. Tentatively, her gloved hand moved towards his and he eagerly took it.

“Do you want to dive down and see what it's like under the sea? It’s really beautiful and in a way like the universe, but touchable. How long can you hold your breath?”

“Long enough,” he said affectionately, unable to keep his adoration for her out of his voice. She looked so happy and it seemed like he was the one who made her so. “Show me.”

She took a deep breath and dived beneath the surface, prompting him to do the same and follow her, his hand still in hers, into the depths. At first the salt water stung his eyes a little and he had to blink several times to get used to the sensation. Entrapta easily pulled him along, using her hair as additional limbs to make her swim even faster.

They quickly reached the bottom. These waters were indeed shallow; in fact the bottom of the ship was only two meters from the seafloor, a detail Hordak filed away to remember when they were going back to Salineas. It wouldn’t do to ruin the haul of the vessel Sea Hawk had procured for them.

Entrapta pulled at his hand and his head turned to look at her. The vision that met him was unlike any other: a large reef in all the colors of the universe, colonies of coral polyps stretching as far as his eyes could see. Among the coral swam small fish and krill while crabs scurried between them. Bright oysters and starfish clung to every rock not occupied by coral colonies.

It was like experiencing space underwater, each coral a nebula or galaxy in the distance. He understood why Entrapta had wanted him to see this.

Yet no matter how magnificent the reef was, the most breathtaking sight was the woman before him. Her hair flowed around her in every direction that reminded him of a supernova. She was like a sun that pulled him into her gravitational field and he never wanted to stray.

She tried to say something as though she had forgotten their location and all that came out was bubbles of air escaping upwards to the surface. Her attempted words turned into a laugh and she began to mimic not being able to breathe. Together, they swam to the surface.

“What did you think? Wasn’t it amazing? I’ve always loved reefs and studied them for years, although mostly in books because a princess apparently belongs in her kingdom and the mountain lakes in Dryl sadly don’t have freshwater reefs. Which is why I was so excited to come here! And you know for the electromagnetic study with the runestone magic obviously.”

Hordak hung on her every word. He knew she’d studied coral reefs in the past, but she’d studied so many things. She’d never mentioned her fascination with them. However, since they both had taken notice of the similarities between the seafloor and the universe, it didn’t surprise him. The ocean was vast and mostly undiscovered (the mermaid princess had admitted to that), much like the universe.

When Entrapta ended her musings and looked at him, he answered her original question: “It was indeed a beautiful sight. I’ve never seen anything quite so extraordinary.” He wondered if she understood that his words were meant for her when he saw a small blush emerge on her wet cheeks.

“I better lay down the rest of the wire, so I can get the readings up and running.” A few tendrils of hair crawled up to the deck to reach for the last two strings of wire.

“Let me help you,” he offered and she handed him one with a grateful smile. “Do you want it further out?” They had to avoid the reef and most of the seafloor towards the small island appeared to be covered by it.

“Yes please!” she exclaimed before diving down with her own wire. He followed her, watching as she began to carefully place the wire directly on the seafloor and cover it with sand in some places. She didn’t have long before she had to go up for oxygen, but her hair helped speed up the process.

He began to do the same heading north while she headed west. Without the aid of prehensile hair, it took longer for him, but he had the advantage of not needing to come up for oxygen.

His course led him into deeper waters, a darker setting than the shallow waters near the reef. The water got colder, not that it bothered him, but it appeared to bring out different types of life. The fish were less aesthetically pleasing, possibly predators looking for prey. Much of the ground was covered by rocks and he had to swim back and forth between them to find bare sand where he could place the wire.

As dark and cold this part of the ocean was, he still found it a stunning sight to behold. Maybe it called to the melancholy that always seemed to be in him or perhaps it reminded him of the Fright Zone, the home he’d made for himself, even with all its flaws. It also gave him the feeling of being back in Dryl, the place he felt safest in. He thrived in the shadows and Entrapta understood that, unlike Prime who’d wanted him bright and pristine as all his other clones. That was simply not who Hordak was and that individuality was what had led him to stand up to his god.

How long he spent down there, laying down the last of the wire, but also enjoying the scenery, he didn’t know. When there wasn’t any more wire, he began to slowly swim back while appreciating how easily he could move his body without straining his wasting muscles.

As he neared the haul of the ship, he noticed that the water around the reef had grown darker; it was near evening. His sense of time had completely eluded him down here.

The first thing he heard as he resurfaced was Entrapta shouting in panic. "Hordak!" He didn't even think before he began climbing the side of the ship with his talons digging into the wood as he dragged himself upwards. When he reached the top, he jumped onto the deck and looked around frantically after Entrapta.

She was at the stern, but the moment she saw him, she practically flew at him. Her arms, followed by her hair, wrapped around his torso and she buried her face in his chest covered by wet neoprene. "You're here," she sobbed against him, giving him goosebumps as her warm breath leaked through the fabric and teased his chilled skin.

"Are you hurt? What happened, Entrapta?" He tried to pull her off him and look her over for injuries, but her hair held her in place flush against him.

"You didn't come up. I thought you had drowned."

Of course. He'd never informed her that his species didn't have the same need for regular oxygen as often as Etherians and if her studies hadn't informed her, then him having drowned was an obvious conclusion for her to draw.

He was about to assure her that he was fine and explain the mechanics of his respiratory system when her arms loosened around his waist. But instead of letting go, they traveled up his back as she lifted herself with her hair until her face was at level with his. Then her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling his face closer to hers until they were touching and she was…

She was kissing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this IS going to go where you hope.
> 
> Comments will not make me post the last chapter quicker, but they mean everything to me. Thanks for being such great readers!


	5. Chapter 5

She was kissing him.

Her mouth landed on his hard thin lips, hers so soft and wet and alive in comparison. She smelled like the sea and of tears, salty and fresh - a beautiful scent if such a thing was possible, yet it had to be because that's how she smelled.

His eyes had instinctively closed, intensifying all his other senses, but it was the sense of touch that affected him most. A shiver of electricity ran from the spot where their lips met and it shot through his body, so fast and powerful that he shuddered and let out a gasp.

Suddenly, her lips were gone from him, along with her small, yet muscular arms around his neck. He opened his eyes to see that she'd lowered herself again to stand on the deck, looking embarrassed. He should've worried that she felt disgusted by her action or that she had only kissed him because of their mating bond, but his body didn't allow him any moment for these worries. It hungered for her pillowy lips - to taste her again, to taste more.

He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her back flush against him, his other hand cupping her cheek, and then he lowered his head and claimed her mouth with his own. She gasped against his lips, but he found no objections to his actions. Rather he felt encouraged when her gloved hands moved up his biceps, over his shoulders and up his neck until she cradled his head, one hand stroking enticingly through his hair.

Their lips moved together, seeking the information found in this new experience. He had no knowledge of the technique with which Etherians kissed, a fact that should've concerned him, yet he only felt the need to learn more through her. Practice makes perfect, she often said, and imperfections _are_ beautiful.

He'd never felt anything like this. It was like all his love and longing for her exploded in him and he could do nothing but drown in the embrace of this woman who held his hearts in her hand. He poured his love into the kiss, desperate for more as if he could ever quench his thirst for her.

Their kisses became more open-mouthed and it felt so right when their tongues met, tentatively at first, although quickly becoming more intense and sending waves of arousal to his already throbbing length which had to be very visible through his wetsuit.

He yearned for more contact, to taste her arousal, the heavy fragrance already clogging his senses, and when she moaned into his mouth, something snapped in him. His large frame led her backwards until her back was up against the ship’s mast. She understood completely, fastening her hair and rising to his level, letting his hips find hers with ease as he drove his hard cock into the apex of her legs.

She pulled her mouth away from him, crying out, and he thought for a moment that he’d been too rough, a thought abandoned entirely when she began to press her center against his length. Her legs spread to make more room for him between them as she pulled him in for another kiss, surprising him with her fierce appetite for more.

His hands were roaming every inch of her body; the softness of her bare shoulders and the curve of her spine and her full backside. He wanted all of her, it could never be enough. His mind was consumed with her taste, her scent and the way her body felt against his as he kept her trapped between him and the mast, only allowing her to feel him as he repeatedly let his shaft grind into her center.

She had to pull away every now and then, just enough to draw a breath before she dived into their kiss again. But he couldn’t stand even that small second of not kissing her and began to bestow kisses over her jaw and down the side of her neck.

Her hand in his hair gripped the blue strands ardently when he found her pulse thrumming under the thin layer of skin on her neck and let his fangs scrape over it, a primal urge rising in him to mark her. He settled with sucking her skin hard enough that the small blood vessels under his lips burst, leaving her neck with a red mark.

His right hand had found purchase on her hip and was tenderly sliding upwards, but it wasn’t until it slid over the side of her supple breast that he truly took notice of it. While his mouth didn’t stop lavishing her neck with kisses and licking, his hand continued to feel that pliable flesh. When a finger slid over a hard protrusion in her wetsuit, her breath hitched and she exhaled his name right into his sensitive ear. Flames burned through his veins.

She dragged his face upwards by his hair to crush their lips together again while a tendril of hair pushed his hand further against her breast and she rubbed herself more greedily on his cock. It was all too much for him, he had to have all of her.

"Entrapta, oh please, let me have you," he pulled back to look in her half lidded eyes, his own head swimming with desire, “I need you.”

"Yes," she replied immediately and nodded eagerly. He didn’t hesitate to reach for the straps on her short neoprene overalls, dragging them both down at the same time until her upper body was freed from them. Looking her intently in the eyes, he dragged a talon from her shoulder and down to the tube top covering her breasts. She shuddered, pupils dark and dilated, and her lips parted, a groan escaping her when he turned his hand to cup her breast, squeezing and scraping his thumb over the hardened nipple. "Please," she whispered, her bosom rising with each breath.

He took hold of the hem of her top and pulled it over her head, swiftly disposing of it, so his hands could touch her luscious breasts now revealed to him. A few days ago he'd seen them bare from the distance and remembered how they had spilled out of Entrapta's hands. Now he cupped them both in his large hands, finding that they fit so perfectly there as though made for him alone. Her pebbled nipples tickled his palms and he rubbed against them, a gasp letting him know how it affected her.

The idea that he could affect her in such a manner drove him wild and he dropped to his knees to take the dusty peak of her left breast into his mouth, his tongue circling it. She keened and her hands flew to his scalp again, one hand pulling his hair while the other clutched him to her, leaving him with no doubt that she was enjoying it. His other hand mirrored his mouth's ministrations and when he dared to twist one nipple a little with his fingers, he scraped his teeth over the other. She cried out and bucked her hips into his chest, so desperate for more contact. He smiled against her skin.

He licked his way to the other breast while his hand moved downwards, into her low-hanging overalls and to her mound. Her skin under the neoprene was mostly chilled, but when he slid a long finger down her slit, he was met with dripping wet heat. She let out a long moan and that, along with the potent aroma of her lust enemating from below, distracted him from her breasts.

In a blink of an eye he had pulled her overall shorts down her legs until they pooled at her feet. His lips traveled the short distance from her bosom, down her ribs and over her soft stomach until he reached the source of the scent, the one that seemed to call to him wherever he went. Finally, he would taste her directly, bathe his tongue in her juices and drown between her thighs.

He teased them both by planting small kisses over the light dust of lavender hair on her mound, then down her hips and to her inner thighs. She'd tethered herself to the mast with her hair and spread her legs wide, her hands pushing him towards her center, but he resisted with a chuckle. Despite his own eagerness, he wanted to take his time. His hands slid up her legs until they reached her knees and lifted, pulling each leg over his shoulders. Now settling in a perfect position in front of her, he grabbed her hips to hold her steady and dove in.

His tongue didn't need any direction; it found her entrance immediately where her juices flowed like a river. She was so hot and slick and sweet, the finest thing he'd ever tasted. It was the impossible combination of musky honey, fizzling sea water and mechanical love, purple stars and defective imperfection. Nonsensical and yet so very real.

The tight walls inside her wrapped around his tongue, pulsating and extracting more fluids for him to consume and he did so with an unquenchable passion. He only distantly felt the rocking of the ship, her hands gripping his hair and heard her moans and gasps as he devoured her. His own arousal, caught in the moist confinement of his wetsuit, was forgotten and the aches of his body pushed aside. Nothing mattered but this. It felt so right to delve deep inside of her core.

After licking up as much nectar as possible he moved up to tease the little bud that appeared to contain most of her loin's nerve endings. He circled it gently with the tip of his tongue at first, spurred on by the fervid way Entrapta called his name, but soon he was suckling at the little pearl just to hear her scream out in rapture when he brought her to climax.

More essence flowed from her and he lapped it all up, delighted to feel her walls spasm around his tongue and incredibly desperate to feel it on his cock. His hands strayed from their place at her hips, one moving up to fondle her breasts while the other found his hardness, palming it to relieve the pressure. It caused him to groan into her core, the vibrations creating a shudder through her. Her legs tightened around his neck and when he looked up at her, she was staring him down with a cheeky smile.

She was ready for more, he realized, and gripped her hips again, his own need once more unimportant. He wanted to show her how much he worshiped her, that he could be a good lover - a good mate for her - and maybe she would let him stay by her side.

He started to tease her pearl again while his left hand moved down to her entrance, remembering how much she'd enjoyed it when he'd used his fingers on her when they were back in Dryl. One finger entered her, her core accepting it and suckling at it. "Yes, Hordak, more please," she whined and he complied without hesitation, adding another of his long fingers. Her core stretched to accommodate him, now filled to her satisfaction.

He hissed when her inner muscles tightened around his digits, dripping and velvety soft, so very enticing. Every fibre of his being screamed to take her right there on the deck, bury his cock deep inside her and pound into her until he spilled every last bit of his seed inside her. The beast hidden deep inside him roared with impatience, attempting to convince him that she would be his in every way if he took her completely. His cock belonged in her core, in her mouth and her soft hands - her body was his. She was his mate and he had to prove it. Yet his rational mind tried to push these thoughts aside, fearing that she might discover them and feel disgusted.

While he fought his internal thoughts, she was attempting to control her own pleasure by thrusting her hips, continuously grinding her center into his face, and it definitely wasn't helping. She was soaked for him - for what he gave her! - and he wanted to use her to satisfy his own perverted lust.

Suddenly, he realized that he had to remove at least some of his clothes to let his cock have access to her. She might even insist that he removed all of it. A wave of nausea rose in him. He couldn't have her looking at him. She'd seen most of the damage the defect had on his body, but she hadn't seen the scars he'd given himself trying to stay alive. He had performed the operations to replace his failing organs or add additional organs when needed. Like the operation where a bio-technological heart had been connected to his biological heart to keep it beating. That in particular had been a vigorous process that left him fatigued and the closing surgical stings had been sloppy. His ribcage had never properly closed after that and the scar was horrific.

He had many of these scars on his torso, never considering the thought that anyone else would ever see them. But now… Entrapta may have accepted his defective body, but seeing the evidence of his past procedures, the carelessness to his own body, would surely dissuade her from further physical contact with him. To show her simply wasn't an option. If he wanted to have her in such a way, his torso had to properly be concealed in certain places.

It could not be done right now. But he could continue to give her immense pleasure that would persuade her to have more sexual encounters with him. She'd kissed him. It meant that she truly wanted him. Right?

"Hordak?" her voice called him back to the present where she'd noticed his distance. "Is something wrong?" The doubt and vulnerability in those words gutted him. She was entirely exposed to him, his fingers literally inside the most private part of her body, and he had the nerve to get lost in his own thoughts instead of giving her the absolute attention she needed. But he could fix it.

He quickly began kissing his way up her inner thigh, his fingers in her moving again, but her hands pushed him away. With the help of her hair, she unhooked her legs from their position over his shoulders, standing above him with a deep frown on her face and wet magenta eyes.

He'd ruined it. Any chance with her was now utterly destroyed by him delving into his mind, focusing on what he yearned for instead of enjoying what he had and putting her first. She'd come to her senses again, out of whatever hold the mating bond had on her, and no longer wanted him. His own urges and fear of letting her see him had gotten in the way. "I apologize," he rasped before escaping to his cabin, locking the door behind him.

He was frustrated, almost panicking. So close to heaven and now in the darkest pit of the Void. There was nothing else he deserved more. 'Pathetic defect,' Prime's voice echoed in his mind, 'did you think you could ever amount to something?' He bent over and braced his hands on his knees, trying to calm down. Prime was dead. His ideology had been wrong. No matter what Hordak had been born to be, he was something more and better now. It was a difficult thing to believe.

He realized that his weak muscles ached more than ever. It would help to get the consistently moist wetsuit off and into his exoskeleton. The suit was uncomfortable after having been out of water and it provided no support to his frail body. It only took him mere moments to remove the suit, attempting to shred the tormenting words of Prime along with it, and he began to strap on the exoskeleton, but his actions were halted by a knock on the door.

"Hordak? I- We need to talk about this," he hated how insecure she sounded, knowing it was because of him. She knocked again and released a painful sob. "Please?" she whispered.

He had to talk to her and let her know the truth. She wasn't at fault here; he was responsible for the mating bond which caused her to act in ways she otherwise wouldn't. That was why she wanted it severed. It was time that he was honest with her about his feelings, why he allowed these sexual acts to continue, even if it meant that he lost her for good. "Give me a moment to get dressed," he answered while hurrying to plug in the last power supplies to his ports. The undergarments and tabard were thrown over it.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he unlocked the door and opened it for her, gesturing for her to enter. She looked remarkably small and nervous as she took a moment to gauge his mood before coming inside. Dressed once more in her regular overalls and white tube top, along with her gloves, he was surprised to see that she wasn’t wearing her mask at all. Somehow he felt vulnerable on her behalf; she usually kept it on, especially in distressing situations.

She sat down on his bunk and looked expectantly at him. He didn't know where to begin, feeling like a complete fool. When he finally managed to string half a sentence together in his head, she asked him outright. "Do I… what we did… repulse you?"

He scoffed, outraged by her suggestion. "Little fool, of course not!" He saw the words affect her, her body hunching and her hands fidgeting inside her gloves. "I'm sorry," he rushed to her, kneeling in front of her in repentance. "I did not mean… What happened between us… I cannot explain how much it means to me."

She looked doubtingly at him, her eyes large and haunting, tearfilled because of him. His chest stung with shame. She was everything to him. "Then why-"

"I'm in love with you, Entrapta," he blurted out, a great weight lifting from his shoulders the moment the words were out. He ignored the way her eyes widened, with horror no doubt, and rose to pace the floor. He had to tell her everything. "I did not intend to make you my mate, but it surely happened because of my feelings for you. I've tried to keep them down. And I succeeded, I thought, but then the… desire began. I've never felt anything like it. All I could think about was being close to you in any way possible. My body and mind betray my rationality, draw me to you on a biological level that I yearn for like I yearn for all of you. I want to blame the bond, but the truth is that it might as well be because all traces of Prime's drugs have left me completely, causing my biological urges to blossom. Whatever it is, I want you with all of my being."

"Then why do you want the mating bond between us severed?" He turned to look at her. Her expression was incredulous and confused.

"Because you want it. I know that our… sexual encounters have been coerced by the bond, against your will-" his explanation was interrupted by her laughter. Humiliation stung in his throat.

"You think I didn't want you? Hordak, I've wanted you for so long! Since the time in your sanctum. I thought that you weren't interested in sexual exploration or romantic relationships and settled for being your friend. Then when you suddenly showed an interest… I thought it was because of the bond, that you were ashamed of those urges. I wanted to cut it for your sake!"

"But I don't want it severed," he added cautiously. Was it really the truth?

"Either do I!" she jumped and lifted herself into the air with her tendrils of hair.

"Then… you liked it? You desire me?" the words didn't make sense to him. He felt like he needed to repeat it a thousand times.

"Desire you?" she took his hands in hers and squeezed. "Not just that. I love you, silly. Have since the Fright Zone."

He couldn't believe what she was saying. She loved him? Like he loved her. It felt like too much information and for a moment he was sure he would faint right then and there.

She must've seen the signs in him because she pulled him a few steps back and helped him sit down on the bunk. It all felt so surreal to him, like the most wonderful dream, but her hands in his ensured him that it was very real. Her eyes shone in the low light and gentle purple hair caressed his cheek. She offered him pure affection, but he realized now that he wouldn't have trusted it if she hadn't shared her feelings with him. If he hadn't shared his own with her...

"I love you, Entrapta," he told her again, most forcibly. She deserved to know everything. "I loved you before I knew what real love was. You showed me, you taught me. I'm a fool… I am unworthy of you. But if you let me, I will do everything in my power to be worthy."

"Oh! No, don’t say that! I don't think you're unworthy. I'm not Horde Prime. I want you to be you because that's who I fell in love with.” She blushed, but kept her eyes on him with fondness. “My lab partner, my friend. But I think we have to be honest with each other from now on. I know you're used to literally having your mind read and I'm used to having my feelings and whole agency rejected, but maybe you know… Maybe we can trust each other enough to talk about such difficult things like we talk about everything else."

He nodded. Hadn’t he known this all along? It was what he’d should’ve done when he’d first felt his lust for her before having followed his impulses so aggressively. “I was stunned by my reactions and found them shameful and revolting. I thought you would feel the same way. I suppose I never imagined that you… loved me.”

Her hands left his to his dismay. She carefully removed her gloves, then lifted her hands to cradle his face. “I do. I’ve loved you for so long.” Tears welled in his eyes, seeing the same happen for her. He turned his head to kiss her naked palm. It felt so intimate. “Can I kiss you?” She asked, unease well hidden in her voice, but he heard it nonetheless.

“I would like that,” he whispered and leaned forward, warmth bubbling inside of him as their lips met. This kiss was very different from the first they’d shared. It was slow and tender, exploring yet without hurry. There was no less passion, but it was only a small part of this kiss; their love shadowed everything else.

His fingers tangled into her hair, feeling the soft strands curl around his hands and up his wrists. "I love you," he whispered against her lips, tears of pure happiness running down his cheeks.

“I love you," she replied without hesitation, setting his hearts on fire. The rapid beating in his chest must’ve been apparent as her hands slid down his front and he groaned into her mouth which made her smile. His lust grew in him, but it was easier to push down when he shared this emotional moment with her. He didn’t just crave sex with her; he craved any kind of intimacy with her.

Somehow, they ended up lying on the bunk next to each other, although there was little space for it. Long kisses gradually grew more heated, their hands gently roaming over each other's bodies. When a small hand slid up his thigh and under the slit in his tabard, he pulled away with a gasp. He looked at Entrapta in surprise. Her pupils were dilated again, a hungry expression in her eyes.

“Can I touch you?” she asked with a husky voice that made him shiver. He desperately wanted her touch on his heated flesh, but he was still getting used to having these desires and he feared that she would find his body repulsive. Her words about talking to each other echoed back to him and he gathered courage to do exactly that.

It was so complicated to put into words, but he had to try. “I want to say yes. I crave your touch and dream about ripping off your clothes and taking you every second of the day.” It was impossible to ignore the want emanating from her as she stared at him intently. “But this is all so new to me. What’s worse… I’m deeply ashamed of my physical form.”

“But I’ve seen your body many times. You know I don’t find it revolting or wrong. In fact, I’m really attracted to it.”

“You haven’t seen it all,” he argued before she could continue. If she revealed any more, he wouldn’t be able to hold back and he needed her to know this, lest he got self conscious and ran away again. “I’ve always kept most of my torso covered. With good reason.” He hesitated, not wanting to tell her what he hid beneath his undergarments. However, the look of understanding and acceptance in her eyes helped him continue.

“You know that I’ve had many of my organs replaced or added technological support to the most important ones and you know that I did it myself.” She nodded to confirm. “These operations have left me with scars. Not scars like the one on your thigh from the time a scrap of metal almost severed your femoral artery. These are horrific to say the least. I cannot show you those.”

She thought for a few moments and he felt relieved that she wasn’t dismissing his worries as unimportant. Not that he really expected her to - this was Entrapta, the one who understood him better than anyone - but the anxiety still fluttered inside him. “Maybe you don’t need to show me. I won’t deny that you’ve made me curious, but I won’t overstep your boundaries. However, it is possible for me to touch you without taking off your clothes. Would you… let me if we take it slow?”

He couldn’t say no to it. His body burned for physical contact of any kind with her and he wanted to let her touch him as she allowed him to touch her. He trusted her. “It sounds ideal.”

“Do you promise to stop me if I go too far?”

He nodded. An idea came to him. “I think it will ease the process if I could feel you too. I… it arouses me greatly and I think it would remind me that it’s normal. Can I-?”

“Yes!” she practically squealed, quickly turning into a giggle. “I mean, I would certainly allow that!”

She leaned in to kiss him and he immediately felt his tense muscles relax. They started slow at first, effortlessly slipping back into where they left off as though they had been doing this for years. It felt so natural to kiss down her jaw as he eased down the straps of her overalls and made room for his hand to caress her side.

Her own hand moved down his chest again, showing no interest in exploring what lay beneath the upper part of his tabard. When she reached the slit at his thigh again, she moved it slowly to the side, giving him time to stop her. He didn’t; he wanted this so much. To push down his anxiety, which had diminished after they’d talked, he distracted himself by cupping her breast and running his thumb over her erected nipple. She moaned into his neck, giving him more room to suck at her pulsepoint.

It tickled as her hand slid over his inner thigh, making his breath hitch which turned into a strangled moan when her small fingers connected with his length. She gently caressed the shaft with her calloused fingertips, now kissing soothingly under his ear. “Is this okay?” she questioned carefully.

“Yes, very much. Just… intense.” He rasped. After gathering his thoughts, he began to move his own hand lower on her body until it slipped under her overalls hanging low on her abdomen. The moment he found her wet slit, she wrapped her tiny hand around his cock as much as possible, giving it a good squeeze. They moaned in union.

“More?” She whispered hoarsely and he nodded breathlessly, gliding a digit down her slit. He quickly found the small pearl that gave her so much pleasure and started to circle it with care.

The sounds that left his mouth as her hand stroked his hard length should’ve embarrassed him, but all he could focus on were her own sounds in his ear, the wet heat of her center and how much more he burned when she was the one to pleasure him. Her hand couldn't reach all the way around his length, but it didn't make the sensation any less.

The rhythm of her hand increased and he mirrored it, knowing that he was getting close to his climax already. It felt too good, too perfect. Wanting to share his climax with her, he slipped two fingers inside of her, his moan drowned by her cry of pleasure, and curled them to reach the spot he’d found before while keeping his thumb on her responsive pearl. Her tight walls clenched around his fingers when he found the right spot and her strong hand gripped his cock even harder.

His control broke when her tongue found the sensitive edge of his ear and flickered over it. He cried out, his shaft swelling in her hand as he thrust into it with all his might. He came, her name on his lips as his seed spilled over her fingers.

He felt her grind against his hand, crying in rapture as she spasmed, and he felt himself instinctively thrust his slackening cock into her fingers still wrapped around, ejaculating violently again, when she breathed his name into his ear.

It took a while before they both had calmed down enough to clean up. There was no awkwardness between them, only small smiles and tender kisses.

It had turned dark outside and Entrapta turned on a small oil lamp to avoid too much light. “Can I stay with you tonight?” She asked, her fingers flexing nervously. He wrapped his arms around her.

“I want nothing more.” She grinned up at him and he felt his hearts pound at the sight. “I love you,” he said, unable to keep the words inside now that they had been set free.

“I love you too.” She smiled and lifted herself with her hair to plant a kiss on his forehead.

She left for a time to change into her night clothes while he changed his undergarments wet with his ejaculate. When she knocked, he opened the door, happy that she’d known to knock even after what they did.

They lay down on the small bunk, somehow comfortable despite the lack of room to stretch. None of them said another word. All they did was stare into each other’s eyes, not hiding anymore. There were no more words needed at the moment, only the knowledge that they loved and were loved in return.

It was all they both needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this ending satisfied you all as much as our characters!
> 
> I have one more installment planned for these two which mostly consists of smut and adjusting to their new relationship. Minimum angst!  
> However, I have a few one shots coming up first, along with a Hordad update, but keep your eyes open. 
> 
> I've been blessed with the best commenters in the world and I want to thank every single of you for supporting this fic!


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